Progress and Performance

The amount of carbon dioxide generated by the light-duty vehicle sector is dependent on three major factors:

1. The fuel economy of the vehicles, which in turn depends on many characteristics of the vehicles themselves (such as their weight, powertrain and aerodynamics);
2. The well-to-wheels greenhouse gas profile1 of the fuels used in the vehicles; and
3. How the vehicles are used and maintained by their drivers.

Our shorthand for this, and the organizing framework for this discussion, is "Vehicle + Fuel + Driver = GHG emissions." More recently, we have added government to the equation, recognizing the indispensable role of governments in coordinating actions across sectors, providing leadership in areas like infrastructure development to meet transportation demand and creating a harmonized legal and political framework that leverages market forces to lead to the desired result.